Duplicating machine



July 14, 1936. J. E. EUTH 2,047,678

DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed Dec. 18, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 14, 1936. J. E. EUTH DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed Dec. 18, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 QW www@ @NNN mm July 14, 1936.

J. E. EUTH 2,047,678

DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed Deo. 18, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IILIV Patented July 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DUPLICATING MACHINE Illinois Application December 18, 1933, Serial No. 703,014

10 Claims.

This invention relates particularly to duplicating machines adapted to the purpose of iilling in forms on continuous-form stationery, and to improved means for manipulating the stationery in the machine.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple, easily operable device for alining stationery strips in writing position on the platen, and a tensioning device for tensioning each strip, individually, in writing position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an allning and tensioning device which may be swung upwardly into a. position which will facilitate threading of the stationery strips from a suitable source of supply, through the tensioning device to the front of the machine. The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a machine embodying the invention, the loading position oi the tensioning device being indicated by dotted lines; Fig. 2, a broken plan View of the same, with the typewriter removed; Fig. 3, a broken longitudinal sectional View, taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a side elevational view of the upper frame of the tensioning device,

taken as indicated at line 4 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 5, a sectional view taken as indicated at line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

In the embodiment illustrated, A designates a main frame comprising standards A having a surmounting bed A2, in which is mounted a platen A3; B, a typewriter machine movably mounted on the bed A2; C, a carbon supply device carried by the bed of the machine; D, a clamping device operating in front of the platen A3; E, an alining and tensioning device mounted between the arms of the bed A2; and F, multiple-strip stationery supported beneath the alining and tensioning device E.

The frame A is of known construction having standards A connected by cross-rods I0 which are held by nuts I0, The bed A2 is xedly mounted on the standards and comprises arms connected at the rear by cross-rod II, held by nuts IIa, and at the front with a cross-bar I2.

Like the frame, the platen A3 is standard equipment and is mounted in the manner usual to this type of machine. Such a. mounting is described in my co-pending application, Serial Number 677,127 filed June 22, 1933. The mechanism is ordinarily used to depress the writing platen but for the purpose of the present invention, this action is not necessary and the mechanism is used merely to raise the clamping device D. We might say that the lever arm I3 of the platen lowering mechanism is connected to a rod 20 which may be drawn downwardly by means of a treadle 2| which is pivoted at 22 to a xed arm 23 on the cross-rod I0. The treadle mecha- 5 nism serves also to release the tensioning device E as will be explained below.

The typewriting machine B may be of any well known construction. It is capable of transverse movement in the operation of printing words, characters, etc. and is movable longitudinally on racks 24 provided on the arms of the frame A2.

The carbon-supply device C comprises a multiple-strip carbon-supply roll 25 and a take-up l5 roll 26 mounted on opposite sides of the platen in brackets 2l, and is adapted to supply continuous-carbon strips across the platen. The clamping device D comprises a tear-od.' bar 28 which is pivotally mounted on the frame A2 and actuated by the platen mechanism as described in my co-pending application mentioned above. A pair of paper guides 30 are also attached to the cross-bar I2 in front of the clamping member and help to guide the stationery, when the same is being advanced over the platen. If desired, the cross-bar may be provided with register pins 3l adapted to engage perforations provided in the stationery. When register pins are provided, the clamping bar 28 may be perforated 30 as indicated at 32 to permit the clamping bar to press the stationery down around the register pins.

The alining and tensioning device E comprises an auxiliary frame which is adapted to r'est upon the rear cross-rod II and upon a pair of studs 34 provided in the bed A2, in the rear of the platen.

As best shown in Figs. 3-5 the auxiliary frame comprises a stationary base frame 35 and an upper frame 36 pivotally connected at 31 to an upwardly extending ear 38 of the base frame. The base frame comprises a pair of L-shaped side members 39 whose rear ends are connected by an angle member 40 and whose front ends are rigidly connected to a channel member 4I. As shown in Fig. 3, the rear portion of the side members is cut away to permit the members to t down over the cross-bar II. If desired, the base frame 35 may be fixed to the frame A2 by means o1' screws 392.

The upper frame 36 comprises a pair of channel members 42 which are connected at their rear ends by a Z-shaped angle member 43 which also ts down and rests upon the cross-bar II. The

channel members are provided with a continuous longitudinal slot 44 in which is journaled a series of tensioning members or rollers 45. Springs 45a are connected at one end to the channel members 42 and at the other end to the end portions of the rollers 45 by means of yokes 451. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the inner portions of the channel members are providedrwith slides 46 which are held in position by fingers 41 struck from the channel members. Each of the slides is provided with upwardly projecting ngers 48 which are adapted to engage the tensioning members 45 and limit their rearward movement. For the purpose of illustration, the upper portions of the fingers 48 are shown connected together so that in eifect each of the tensioning members extends through slots 44 in the channel members 42 and also through a pair of individual slots provided in the slides 46. A cross bar 49 extends through slots 50 in the channel members and serves to draw the slide members forwardly. The cross member is actuated by means of a chain which has one end adjustably connected to a bracket 52, depending from the channel member 4|, by means of a thumb screw 53. A crank member 54 is pivotally mounted on the bracket at 55, so that when its front end is depressed by the lever arm I3, a roller 56 at its rear will engage a loop in the chain and thereby cause the cross member to draw the slides and rollers forwardly.

The base frame is provided with a rigidly connected cross member 6U over which all of the stationary strips F are led. A rock member 62 is journaled in the upper frame and is provided with a nger member 63, adjustably held by a screw 63a, which is adapted to press the strips against the cross member 60. A torsion spring 64 urges the finger member into gripping position. The outer ends of the rock member are squared at 65 and are provided with actuating arms 66 which are engaged by studs 61 on the slide members 46 so that when the slide members are drawn forwardly, the nger member E3 Will be rocked from gripping position.

The stationery F comprises a plurality of strips of slips l0 which are provided with register-perforations I, and are connected end to end at lines of weakening 12. The stationery may be zig-zag folded or in the form of a plural wound roll as shown in Fig. l. When a roll is used, the stationery is usually wound on a hollow cardboard core which is impaled by a shaft 13 which is removably mounted in arms '|4 depending downwardly from the aligning and tensioning device E.

To load the machine, the upper frame 36 is swung to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. This movement will raise the nger member 63 from Contact with the cross member 60 and will permit all of the stationery strips to be threaded over said cross member and around the rollers 45, individually, as indicated in Fig. 3. The upper frame may then be lowered into its normal position and the operator may raise the clamping bar 28 and draw the rollers 45 forwardly by depressing the treadle 2|. The stationery strips are then led over the platen in interleaved relation with the carbon and the register perforations engaged by register pins 3|. Upon release of the treadle, the clamping bar 28 will be lowered into gripping position. The nger member 63 will grip all of the strips against the cross member 60 and each of the tensioning rollers 45 will be permitted to move What I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a duplicating machine: a frame having a platen over which stationery strips may be led from the rear; means for fastening the front end portion of the strips in front of said platen; and

a tensioning device in rear of said platen comprising means for simultaneously gripping all of the strips together to prevent advancement thereof, tensioning members mounted so as to engage each strip individually in advance of the gripping means and to draw the same taut over the platen, and means for releasing said tensioning members and gripping means from operative engagement with the strips.

2. In a duplicating machine: a frame having a platen over which stationery strips may be led from the rear; means for fastening the front end portion of the strips in front of said platen; a tensioning and aligning device in rear of said platen comprising holding means for simultaneously holding all of the strips together to prevent advancement thereof, tensioning members forming a separate loop in each strip in rear of the platen, springs connected to each of said tensioning members so as to urge the same rearwardly to tension said strips, and movable means adapted to free the strips from the action of said tensioningmembers and holding means.

3. In a duplicating machine: a frame having a platen over which stationery strips may be led from the rear; means for fastening the front end portion of the strips in front of said platen; and a tensioning device in rear of said platen comprising a cross bar over which all'of the strips may be led, a gripping member adapted to grip all of the strips against said bar, a series of spring held movably mounted tensioning bars each engaging an individual loop formed in each of said strips so as to tension the same over the platen, and slide-members for drawing the tensioning bars forwardly, said slide-members engaging and releasing said gripping member when moved forwardly.

4. In a duplicating machine: a frame having a platen over which stationery strips may be led from the rear; a clamping bar pivotally mounted on the front of said frame and adapted to clamp the front end portion of the strips; a tensioning device in rear of said platen comprising a cross bar over which all of the strips may be led, a gripping member adapted to grip all of said strips against said bar, a series of spring held movably mounted tensioning bars each engaging an individual loop formed in each of said strips so as to tension the same over the platen, and slide-members for drawing the tensioning bars forwardly, said slide-members engaging and releasing the gripping member in their forward movement; and treadle means connected to said clamping bar and the slide-members so as to simultaneously 70 release the clamping bar and draw the slidemembers forwardly.

5. In a duplicating machine: a frame having I arms extending rearwardly; a platen mounted in the front portion of said frame over which sta- 1I tionery strips may` be drawn from the rear; clamping means for gripping said strips in front of the platen; an auxiliary frame mounted in said arms in rear of the platen, said auxiliary frame comprising a base frame and an upper frame pivotally mounted thereon; a gripping device mounted in said upper frame and adapted to co-operate with the lower frame in gripping all of said strips together; and individual tensioning rolls slidably mounted in said upper frame so as to form loops in strips threaded between the clamping means and the gripping device.

6. A tensioning device adapted for use in connection with a flat bed platen having means for gripping the ends of strips led thereover, comprising: a pair of parallel side members each provided with a longitudinal slot; a series of rollers journaled in said slots, each roller being provided with a pair of springs connected to said side members so as to urge the rollers rearwardly; a pair of slides slidably mounted in the side members and having fingers adapted to engage the rollers: means for drawing the slides forwardly; and gripping-means adapted to yieldingly grip together a plurality of said strips threaded therethrough and around the rollers.

7. Mechanism as specied in claim 6, in which the gripping-means comprises a fixed cross-bar, a rock shaft having a linger adapted to engage said cross-bar, said rock shaft having an arm adapted to be engaged by one of the slides and actuated thereby.

8. In a duplicating machine: a frame having a platen over which stationery strips may be led from the rear; clamping means for fastening the front end portion of the strips in front of said platen; a tensioning device in rear of said platen comprising releasable means for gripping all of the strips to prevent forward advancement thereof, means for engaging each strip individually between the clamping means and the gripping means to draw the strips taut over the platen; and a unitary mechanism for relieving the tension on each strip and releasing the gripping means.

9. In a duplicating machine: a frame having a platen over which stationery strips may be led from the rear; clamping means for fastening the front end portion of the strips in front of said platen; a tensioning device in rear of said platen comprising releasable means for gripping all of the strips to prevent forward advancement thereof, means for engaging each strip individually between the clamping means and the gripping means to draw the strips taut over the platen; and treadle mechanism for relieving the tension on each strip and releasing the gripping means and the clamping means.

10. A tensioning device adapted for use in connection with a at bed platen having means for gripping the ends of strips led thereover, comprising: a pair of parallel side members each provided with a longitudinal slot; a series of rollers journaled in said slots, each roller being provided with a pair of springs connected to said side members so as to urge the rollers rearwardly; a pair of slides slidably mounted in the side members and having ngers adapted to engage the rollers; means for drawing the slides forwardly; and gripping-means comprising a fixed cross-bar over which said strips may be led, a rock shaft provided with a clamping arm adapted to press the strips against said cross-bar and an actuating arm adapted to be engaged by one of the slides to rock said clamping arm from engagement with the strips, and a spring urging said rock shaft to clamping position.

JOHN E. E'UTH. 

